My Kingdom for Your Love
by Ephiroden an' Mafalus
Summary: The Pharaoh longs for one who hates him, but recieves passion from the most unexpted of persons and an army of rebels threaten his rule; the battle for love and his kingdom has begun(Yaoi)Read & Review plz
1. Foresight of love

Our best work yet, and have been working on it for a very long time and glad to finally put it up; so here's the first chapter with many many more to come! o

----------------

The sand stirred in the warm gusts and slowly swelled around his ankles. "This is what I've run too?" His dark eyes searched the vast desert. What good was being free when the only place to execute that freedom was on countless dunes of grainy rock? He cringed as the textured wind bit at the wounds on his back. He could not spit out the sand faster then it flew into his mouth and his forehead ached from his continuous squinting. It was an all around bleak experience. All he had done was traded away a painful existence of slavery for a doomed to failure life of vagabonding.

He hindered his advance only to abruptly collapse on his weary knees and hands which were immediately sheltered under the sand. Sweat beads flowed down his every pore giving drink to the thirsty ground. The merciless heat was pilfering his broken body of whatever supply of water he had left in him. This couldn't go on much longer and he knew it. He started pondering at the alternative route. Slowly he turned his head in the direction from where he came, but stopped impulsively. He remembered what his life was back there, "No, there was no life back there." The words echoed in his head bringing back memories of the horrid experience. He remembered the whips cracking through the air to persist him to go on. He worked gruelingly only to be paid by the blood of his own back. Mercy did not exist, to plea for it would only mean more drastic torture. Death was a more comforting thought than to continue living. He then thought to himself, how many days did he plea for death to take him? "Every day." He answered his question in a shallow yet irate voice. Then he was face down in the sand.

He awoke in a dank stone room accompanied by the voices of many other persons. Moans and dry hacking coughs made the silence unable to settle. But worse then the horrid noise was the smell of blood and filth.

"No!" He hissed through his teeth as he sat tensely forward. An indescribable sickness clutched his heart and then his stomach as the smells and memories wafted to him. He gagged and dry heaved several times then flopped back in exhaustion. No one paid him heed. It was every man for himself as a slave and emotions were not shared with each other for bonding was the ultimate torture. A fallen slab of ill-carried stone, the never ceasing whips of punishment, or the body's final surrender to far and few and ultimately useless nourishment were all daily downfalls to the people around him.

He could have taken his life then, someway, somehow; but he remembered the desert and little bit of freedom he had lived before apparently being captured. How wonderful it would have been if he had died alone on the flowing sands of Egypt he thought as he awaited punishment for his failed escape.

The Pharaoh pursued down the extensive corridors and when he came to the correct doorway he glanced inside then timidly walked in. Seto looked up from the flame he had been absent-mindedly gazing at and greeted the pharaoh in a swooping bow. Atemu noticed the mockery in every movement the priest made towards him and yet they were still friends, or so supposed the pharaoh, he didn't know the true feelings on the other end of this 'friendship'.

"Your expression begs me to assist you in someway. How may I be of service my Pharaoh?" A smile slightly took over Seto's mouth then diminished.

"Indeed, I am very troubled…by something" Atemu stepped further into the chamber; the fire cracked in response to the clicking of his footsteps. Seto watched the tiny glowing embers puff away from the flame and spoke; "Specifics." Atemu was jogged from thought and looked at Seto with question. "Be straight forward with me Pharaoh. What is this 'something'?"

"I have had visions." His voice was blunt.

"Alcohol can conduct such things." Seto snapped and turned his back to Atemu. "I have places to be and ceremonies to perform for the Gods…" Atemu detested the priest's impatience. "I have come for your aid, will you not give it?!" Seto sat down. "Am I not constrained to?"

"I believe I have experienced a foresight to a future life. What I have seen I am compelled to believe. I see me and I am in love." Seto remained impassive and let out a small huff to motivate Atemu to continue. "This person is very important to me in this other life and even now I feel an elaborate bond I can not explain. I don't know exactly who they are, but I must locate them."

Seto's response was with irritation "_Them_?"

"_Him_!" A blush rolled over Atemu's face but perhaps the priest was not surprised by the pairing of two men for his face was seemingly stuck in a look of total un-interest. "I never should have come, I am sorry to have disturbed you." The pharaoh backed then made to turn and leave but was stopped by a question, which was most unlike the easily aggravated priest to ask.

"What does he look like?" Atemu was baffled by Seto's sudden interest in what was probably bullshit to the priest.

After a winding walk that took them nearly half an hour, Seto stopped them. "You see," He held his flickering torch out to the wall, revealing a stunning glittering painting of a young man surrounded by intricate hieroglyphics. "I have had the same 'foresight' to this future life." And the picture on the wall was just as he had described him- golden hair and deep brown eyes- Atemu 'Oo-ed' and closed the distance between he and the painting. "You are quite the artist…" his eyes unwavering from his admiring gaze at the painting. "And you had believed I actually spend all of my time performing magic for and pleasing the Gods?" Atemu grinned. "Blasphemous, yet true." A hush of inner thoughts by both was followed.

"Our visions might be different Pharaoh, for there is another someone in mine." Seto waited, hoping for a similar statement from Atemu. It was given; "You are there Seto. You are with this young man and me. I felt I needed to leave that detail out at the beginning however." Seto laughed. "And you are my other someone!" He was excited, like a child making the winning move to drawn out game " I'm not sure how we couple in the future so well our relationship recently has been a bit scrambled." Seto turned his head to the pharaoh grinning with this delightful discovery.

Atemu replied with a similar expression, "I don't see how we do either, the cocky and full-of-himself isn't quite my type." They chuckled but only for a brief moment. The pharaoh's face filled with sorrow obviously stricken with concern. Deep inside he felt that something was amiss; knowing that the same distress he was feeling came from his lost love. He bowed his head and latched his hand to the cloth around his chest. "So you feel it too." The priest walked to his worried cohort's side. The pharaoh felt a gentle touch come from his shoulder; he lifted his head to see a hand rested upon it and his companion standing before him. The hand remained for a moment and was then redrawn. "Forget about it." Seto's face was demanding and his words were now callous. "You should no longer give regard to these visions. Forget me, and forget him." With torch he pointed toward the painting. "I don't think us three were meant to be together in this life, nor do I care or have any more time for such unreachable things."

Atemu watched with watering amethyst eyes that twinkled in the fading fire light as the priest paced away. "Seto!" He did not turn in reaction to his name. "Seto, please! Help me find him, please!"

"To what avail Pharaoh?!" Seto's voice ricocheted down the stone hallway and Atemu simply bat his eyes at him with a lack of understanding. Seto threw open his arms in anger. "You honestly expect to find him?" A short laugh followed. "He could be an old man right now or merely an infant. He might not even be born yet!" the pharaoh snapped back at the priest in rage, "He is alive! Old, young, ailing, or in whatever condition it does not matter to me I must go to him, I must help him. I have felt his presence and he is in misery! You know this as well!" the words stirred throughout the room as he gazed towards his ill-companionate friend. The echoing of footsteps stopped and Seto stood dormant at the entrance of the corridor. Atemu wondered if he had perhaps struck a cord in his hotheaded partner to make him reconsider his actions. He smiled at the thought and anxiously waited for him to return to his side. Seto spun on his heals and looked back at the remorseful king that seemed more uplifted now. The cerulean eyes glared at him with signs of no change except more irritated at Atemu's redundant desires. His arms seized the doors and finally he replied back but in the most callous tone, "Whatever yearning you have to fulfill these dreams I suggest you drop them now! I have seen nothing, I have felt nothing of what you confided to me in this meaningless discussion and nor have you!" his muscles tensed as he continued. "You've got important obligations to take care of you know. You are ruler of this empire, you should know better than to waste your time searching for this mirage. Yes, you know what a mirage is, do you not?! Your mind portrays images that it wants to see and you advance to it only to never receive it. These hallucinations give people redundant hopes and often lead them to their deaths, and it will guide you to your deposal if you continue to seek such childish desires! Now grow up, and remember where your place is in this world and keep all matters of sentimentalisms to your damn self! Farewell your majesty!" His arms retracted and the doors slammed shut. The harsh breeze from the doors blew out the last of flames from the torches making the corridor gloomier than most nights when the lights are absent or so it seemed to the forlorn pharaoh. Atemu's eyes overflowed with tears as he filled with immense fury, but with unfathomable grief.

Mahado bounded up the dusty steps; his long dark hair beating against his face. The guards placed by each and every pillar supporting the wide and open entrance hall of the temple, let the hurried higher-ranking man pass without a second glance. As he rushed along, Mahado puffed past Seto nearly knocking the priest's rod and papyrus scriptures from his hands. Mahado flung his arm behind him and flapped it up and down. "Sorry Sir!" The magician apologized as he kept his pace. Ornery complaints from Seto followed him down the royal hallway until he entered an enormous chamber. The throne was cast at the end of the room where the Pharaoh now sat and watched the servant's entry with eager expression. Mahado bowed immediately after entering his liege's quarters. "Sorry I am late your highness, it will never happen again I assure you." Atemu rose from his throne then paced towards the humble servant. Mahado was a bit unsteady with his master's silence; usually he would greet him cordially. He always did treat him more like a friend than a mere servant, he probably considered Mahado his only true friend. Why didn't he greet him as usual? Has he considered punishment for his unpunctuality? He didn't know what to expect only to wait for an answer

Once Atemu was only an arms length from the bowing magician he stopped. "Mahado." His voice was profound and serious. "Yes, my lord!" he replied without another thought. "Follow me." After his order they both headed down the hallway behind the throne to a huge door that lead into the pharaoh's private study. Mahado had been there before but generally only when he was required to discus severe matters. Something must be direly wrong, what else would make his friend change so much? The pharaoh pushed the door open revealing the inside of the enormous room. They walked across the polished marbled floor, passing by the tall bookcases on each side of them, and to a small table next to the large carved opening in the wall. They both sat on opposite ends of the small table, staring back into each others eyes.

Atemu couldn't contain himself any longer, "Mahado, you have no idea how pleased I am to see you!" he enclosed one hand on his face and the other extended on the table towards his friend. "What is troubling you, my lord?" feelings of concern rushed over him in seeing his comrade so significantly disturbed. "Please you don't have to call me that in private my friend." Atemu then settled his other hand to the table's surface. "I'm sorry, it's customary of me. But what seems to be the issue at hand. You seem quite bothered." The pharaoh's arms folded to rest on the table. "Yes, I have been uneasy about this for awhile. I discussed this with Seto but he didn't consider a word I said." The dark haired servant replied. "He's too stubborn to believe what anyone says besides himself. Think nothing of his opinion on the subject." Atemu cleared his throat being a bit hesitant to proceed, but he knew his friend would believe him. "I have had a vision into my future existence." Mahado was a bit shocked yet excited to hear this news, "Really?! What did you see!? Please, I want to hear everything." Atemu replied to his curious friend. "Well I didn't see much but I was in love, I saw my loved ones and their images have been engraved into my mind." His friend raised a brow, "_Ones_? _Their_ images?" the pharaoh rubbed the back of his head. "I meant loved _one_ and _his_ image, my mistake. I mishandle words, but you know that." He swallowed hard, and then continued. "My love for him is so strong, I can sense everything he feels. Recently the feelings have been intense so I know he's alive right now and he's close." Mahado smirked, "That's interesting, seems almost destined for you to be with this fellow. So do you want me to search for him? You know, so you can get better acquainted; maybe have a little fun, eh?" Mahado winked and nudged his elbow into his friends arm. Atemu pulled the turban down over the provocative servants face as his own face blushed to a bright red. "This is serious; I need you to find him as soon as possible. I can feel that he is miserable, possibly in danger." Mahado fixed his turban continuing to listen to his friend diligently. "Please, find him. I trust only you with this task. There is an image of him in the throne room. I will order an artist to replicate the picture for you as soon as possible." The servant nodded, "It shall be done, fret no more I will find him." He smiled and headed towards the exit. "One more thing," Mahado impeded. "Please make sure Seto or his cronies do not hear about this mission. It is vital that he stays out of this agenda. I'll pay you extra for that." The tall servant smiled, "There is no need you've paid me in full with your friendship."

-----------------

Spoiler!!:

Yes, for all you slow deducive readers (not that there's anything wrong with that!) the blonde slave is Jounouchi! Poor kid...TT


	2. Gruesome discoveries

Disclaimer: We's don't own yugioh and you probably don't either mr. or miss. reader...Here's chapter 2! three people clap unenthusiasticallyincluding the catenjoy...

-

The slave brushed his blonde bangs away from his dark eyes and just when he was beginning to believe that maybe, just maybe today's labors would be over for at least him, he found himself and three others under and in the shadow of a giant block of limestone. The stone seemed to press back in objection as the workers carried it up a hundred feet of thin and insecure ramp. The blonde slave felt the wounds on his back gush new blood from the incredible strain on his wrenching and sore muscles.

Mahado and a few other escorts stepped onto the ridge of a dune that over-looked atrocity. One of the smaller members with a customary bob cut led Mahado further out onto the ridge. "I found this 'activity' a few days ago and after having reported it to you, the pharaoh's highest servant; well, now you are witnessing it as well." Mahado was wordless. He could hear the distant whips and haughty commands, screams, the clinking of tools and lastly the wind blowing over the top of the dune. He chanced a closer look and slid down the sandy hill until he was concealed by a smaller one which he scaled then trotted over to an abandoned cart where he crouched and watched. "What does he think he's doing!" Bob cut said preparing to follow. Another yanked him back by his white skirt. "Even if he is captured, there'll be no harm done. He is the highest of royalty. The worst they'll do is try to bribe him not to report what he has seen here. But let's be silent so he can better see this without being caught." Bob cut nodded.

Mahado surreptitiously hurried behind the second cart. Keeping his back pressed against the structure he turned his head to glance at the atrocious spectacle ahead of him. His dark hazel eyes became stern while the rest of his body tensed from fury. "This is the most appalling thing I have ever witnessed! What kind of malevolent tyrant would do this to those poor people! I must notify Atemu about what is happening here. This is intolerable!" As he glanced at the slaves driving the massive stones up the pyramid, one individual caught his eye. Squinting didn't help to much extent, so he pushed the cart closer to the construction area for better observation. Once again he looked back to the familiar personage pressing up against a hefty block of limestone. The young, blond haired boy appeared nearly identical to the painting in the throne room. "If that is him then the pharaoh's premonitions were correct. I must get him out of there." His words were cut short by a distant haler, "Hey you! Get out from behind there, now!" Mahado turned to his side and now faced two large slave drivers charging after him. He knew they would not harm him because of his rank but he wasn't just about to let himself get caught. Mahado darted back to where his colleagues were last seen, continuing to be chased by the two men.

Bob cut and the other follower stood in wait for their officer to return. The silence was broken by a familiar voice; "Bob prepare the horses, now!" Mahado yelled from a distance, bob also noticed some new travelers following close behind him. He prepared Mahado's horse before mounting his. Unsheathing scimitars from their holsters, Bob and the others charged towards the two men behind their officer. Mahado finally reached his horse and quickly mounting it. He turned the steed around to see his assembled forces drive the frightened duo away. "Bob let us return. I have much to report!"

Atemu watched the procession of riders on galloping horses far below from his bedroom window. The golden trinkets on his attire jostled as he raced down the stairs and made for the front of the temple.

"Impossible! I had sent out orders to eradicate slavery! Who rebels against these orders and performs such brutality on _my_ people, WHO!"

"That has not been revealed yet your highness." The servant's voice quivered from the enraged pharaoh standing before him. Mahado stepped in and bowed, "Pharaoh, I have other details about this matter that perhaps should be said only in private."

"Private! What could be so private about this, this..." He ended the sentence with what sounded like the guttural roar of a lion. Mahado fell to his knees and hands, "Please ph, pharaoh, I need to talk to you alone, grant me this personal meeting?" He curled and uncurled his fingers on the stone in nervousness and kept his head low. Atemu did not like the way he was now wreaking fright upon his loyal subjects and more importantly his best friend. He knelt in front of Mahado and with a calm collective tone spoke. "I grant you your meeting my friend. Follow me back to the throne room?" He outstretched a hand to help the servant up. Mahado took it and when they were both back on their feet Atemu turned to the others. "I will pay you all for your work on this calamitous discovery and information." Bob cut shook his head, as did the other nobles gathered. "No need Pharaoh, we are just happy to serve you and hopefully put an end to that which gives this empire a deceitful reputation!" With that he stooped in bow then jogged down the steps and back to his horse.

Atemu kicked off his sandals and other uncomfortable accessories than lay on his bed. He watched the billowing curtains and tried to clear his mind. There would be no point in worrying about these matters right now. If he intended to keep a keen mind and vigorous appearance tomorrow he should try to get some sleep, Right?" "Right." He agreed and let his body fall in that faint state where your mind creates incomprehensible images and thoughts until they formed into clearer imagery in his dreams which were wrought with the suffrage of many people he did not know. As his bodiless self drifted down the line of tortured beings, one particular boy lifted his head and gazed up at him with expectant brown eyes which suddenly flooded with hate and pain as a whip was brought down repeatedly on his back. Atemu, though voiceless, pleaded for the boy. "Stop! I order you to stop! Stop hurting him, I am the pharaoh, listen!" He wanted to scream, but he was not heard in this dream.

-

More juicy chapters filled with all your favorite adjectives and verbs to come soon!


End file.
